On assignment in New Orleans

The last day I was in New Orleans I took some pictures while on my way back to the house I was staying at off of St. Charles Street. The house had no electricity and I needed to e-mail a couple of graphics into work I had completed the night before. So the following morning, I walked about ten blocks with my backpack and laptop computer to a coffee house that was one of the few places that had electricity from a generator. I passed this statue of Christ standing before a huge magnolia tree at a Catholic agency. Like the city, the statue’s broken parts are easily detected, but still adored by most.

Just a beautiful old house with the typical wrought iron fencing and palm trees. I love the unique details like the unusual windows and brackets below the roof and the lone window jutting from the top of this classic Big Easy home. There were so many homes that had so much character and history to them. I wish I could have toured some of the interiors to see the craftsmanship.

This is the bed and breakfast I stayed at for two nights in Hammond – on a good day usually and hour and a half drive from New Orleans. During a hurricane evacuation late at night it can take you over three hours! The owners there, Michele and Isabel, treated me like family along with their two daughters, one of which was married and had a young son and daughter hunkering down at the place until Hurricane Gustav moved on northwest. Wonderful food, stories and critters (frogs, lizards and a kitten) were enjoyed after working at the Hammond Daily Star newspaper with about ten other hot and bothered AP employees. A few copy editors enjoyed the stay at the B&B as well.